Robert Zemeckis is in final negotiations to direct Warner Bros.' adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic book “The Witches,” studio sources tell Variety. Sources say a deal is expected shortly. Zemeckis will also pen the script, with his partner Jack Rapke producing through their banner ImageMovers, along with Alfonso Cuaron and Guillermo del Toro. Del Tor had long been attached to direct, but a scheduling conflict led the Oscar winner to vacate the director’s chair.

Based on the 1973 novel, the film follows a seven-year-old boy who has a run in with real-life witches. Warner Bros. had previously adapted the book in 1990 with Anjelica Huston playing one of the title characters, but sources close to the project say Zemeckis' version will be more rooted in the original source material, while the Huston pic was a loose adaptation.

OMG, I'm so excited for this. Del Toro's involved, too! I always loved this book growing up. The original film didn't fit my picture of the book exactly--the grandmother especially was nothing like I envisioned. Although the book seems to be mostly the grandmother talking and talking and talking for the first half at least.

I really wouldn't mind if Anjelica Huston had a role in this (even if not the same one). She was the only bright spot of the first adaptation and being old isn't exactly something that would disqualify you from playing a witch.

This is amazing news! I love witches and this is right up my alley. I loved the first adaptation. I actually can't remember if I read the book or just heard it read in school, or read parts of it. Honestly I don't see how I can't even remember.

Anjelica Huston is too old to play the pretty Grand High Witch now. She had to look like 30's-50's and pretty with her mask on and now she's just too old.

Omega Underground has exclusively uncovered some character and plot details for Warner Bros. remake of the 1990 film The Witches, which was based on the Roald Dahl novel. It was announced over the summer that director Robert Zemeckis (Back To The Future, Forest Gump) would be replacing Guillermo del Toro as the director on the film. The film’s script was penned by Zemeckis and Kenya Barris.

It seems that the remake will take more of an American spin than the original film, which had been set mostly in the UK. The bulk of the film will be taking place in the American South, mainly, Alabama.

Here is the plot synopsis for the remake.

"When his parents are killed, a young boy goes to live with his feisty, loving grandma, who had a terrifying encounter with witches when she was just a girl. When Grandma realizes that the witches have returned, she flees with the Boy to the swankiest resort in the South — only to realize that they’ve wandered right into a nest of witches, headed by the Grand High Witch, who intends to transform the world’s children into mice — starting with the Boy…"

Concerning character/casting details, Warner Bros. is aiming to cast a young 8-10-year-old African-American actor to play the leading role of Luke, but they aren’t calling the role Luke (could be altered depending on the casting). Bruno will be making a comeback and pet mouse Daisy will actually be a young girl that had been previously turned into a mouse by a witch. It’s also expected that the Grandmother role is mostly going to an older African-American actress.

Filming is said to be starting up next April in the United Kingdom. It’s assumed that they’ll be using the stages at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in England, where the studio has shot most of their Wizarding World movies. We’ve also exclusively learned a portion of the filming will also take place stateside as well, although a state has yet to be named. Southern states such as Georgia and Louisiana are good bets to make.

Omega Underground has a new plot detail to share about Robert Zemeckis’ remake of The Witches which will be taking place in Alabama instead of the United Kingdom. The era of the film will be taking place during the year 1969. We’ve also learned that the young actors cast the main three roles will be doing motion capture for their mice scenes.

Young actors for three main roles? What? Is there a third kid in this? Seeing as how originally the boy (Luke in the original movie) and Bruno were the ones who got turned into mice? Boy. If Dahl hated what Nicholas Roeg did, imagine how he would have felt about this.

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